Seeking New BLRPC Executive Director

Richard Heath has moved on, and we thank him for his service.  He excelled at his job and has made valuable contributions during his time with the Commission.  We are now accepting applications for a new Executive Director. The position posting and guidelines for applying are available here.

Wisconsin Bikeways Project

The Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources and Transportation and the Wisconsin Bike Fed have partnered to work on a statewide Bikeways Project to identify, create, and promote a network of mapped bikeways in the state. A bikeway is a road, street or path that is specifically designated for bicycle travel or may be shared with other modes of transportation or recreation.

The Bikeways Project will evaluate existing roadway and trail systems to identify priority bikeway routes across Wisconsin that will connect into the U.S. Bike Route System, a network of long-distance bicycle routes across the country linking urban, suburban and rural areas through a variety of bicycling facilities. Route selection methodologies include factors such as roadway or trail conditions, available services (food, lodging, bike shops, etc.), directness and grade (steepness).

A Wisconsin Bikeways Project Wikimap will be available through June 2015. The Wikimap is an online interactive mapping tool that allows users to draw routes and points on a map and add comments about their entries. The tool will allow users to highlight good routes for bicycling in Wisconsin, routes that need improvement, barriers to bicycling, and bicycling destinations

Green Infrastructure Codes & Ordinances Workshop

There will be a training opportunity on June 18, 2015 to review codes and ordinances that inhibit the use of green infrastructure in northeast Wisconsin. 

The workshop will highlight common barriers to implementing green infrastructure, code and ordinance review and development, and lessons learned. 

Green infrastructure (GI) is an approach to stormwater management that protects, restores, or mimics the natural water cycle. GI is a proven and effective means to improve water quality, habitat and flooding by reducing stormwater pollution and volume, but there remain critical barriers to its implementation.

Municipal codes and ordinances have a broad impact, as they govern and can incentivize or deter GI implementation by both the private and public sectors. Updating these local codes, ordinances and review processes can encourage municipalities, builders and developers, as well as property owners, to implement GI practices.

For additional information on the workshop or to register, click here.  

Pavement Rating Assistance

Wisconsin State Statute 86.302(2) requires each municipality and county to submit surface condition ratings for all local roads under their jurisdiction to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) every two years. The next submissions to WisDOT are due by December of this year.

Just as was done in 2013, Commission staff will be providing assistance to communities to meet the pavement rating requirement. A majority of these services will be free of charge to Commission members, while non-member communities will be charged time and materials. If your community would like the use the services of the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission for pavement rating assistance, please contact Brandon Robinson.